All Chapters of Whispers Through the Wall: Chapter 31 - Chapter 40

Ethan sat rigid on Sienna’s couch, his fingers gripping the empty glass in his lap as he tried to steady his breath. The sting of her teasing still clung to him, burning beneath his skin.She stretched out beside him, draping herself lazily over the cushions, one leg crossing over the other. The hem of her dress rode up slightly, revealing more of her smooth thigh. It was deliberate—everything about her was deliberate.He should have seen it coming.Sienna let out a small sigh, her fingers tracing absentminded patterns on the fabric of the couch. “You’re sweet, Ethan,” she murmured, almost as if she were talking to herself. Then, her gaze slid to him, sharp and assessing. “Too sweet.”He forced himself to look at her, his jaw clenched. “What’s that supposed to mean?”She smirked, amused by his sudden defensiveness. “It means you don’t belong here,” she said simply

Ethan tried to stay away.For three days, he avoided the hallway, changed his schedule to leave his apartment when he knew she wouldn’t be around, and kept his eyes glued to his laptop screen even when his thoughts drifted elsewhere. It was the only way to get some control back—some sense of normalcy after what had happened between them.But it wasn’t working.The more he ignored her, the more she occupied his mind. Every shadow moving past his door made his pulse spike. Every time he heard laughter from her apartment, something inside him twisted. He told himself it was for the best, that he had to put some distance between them.But distance was a lie. Because even if he wasn’t near her, she was inside him, running through his veins like an addiction he couldn’t shake.On the fourth day, Ethan returned from work later than usual, exhausted but res

Ethan had spent the entire day trying to convince himself that he shouldn’t say anything. That it was better to keep his feelings locked away where they couldn’t be exposed and torn apart. But his resolve shattered the moment he saw her again.Sienna was outside her apartment, leaning against the railing of the hallway balcony, smoking a cigarette. The soft glow of the city lights reflected off her skin, making her look almost ethereal. He didn’t know if it was the way she exhaled the smoke so slowly, or the way the night breeze toyed with the loose strands of her hair, but she looked untouchable. Untouchable, yet standing right there.He didn’t think—he just walked up to her.She glanced at him from the corner of her eye, an amused smirk playing at her lips. “So, you’re back to speaking to me now?”Ethan swallowed, his hands clenched at his sides. “I need to tell you something.”

Ethan barely slept that night. The sound of Sienna crying had unsettled him in a way he couldn’t quite shake. It had been soft at first—muffled, broken sobs barely slipping through the thin walls. But then they’d become harsher, raw, as if something deep inside her had shattered. He had sat up in bed, staring at the wall that separated them, his chest aching.He wanted to knock on her door. To do something. But what right did he have? She had brushed off his confession like it was nothing. She had told him to go home, and yet here he was, unable to think of anything else but her pain.By morning, he was exhausted but determined. He couldn’t just pretend he hadn’t heard anything. As soon as he heard movement from her apartment, he was out the door.Sienna was locking her door when he stepped into the hallway. She was dressed as immaculately as ever—tight jeans, a cropped black top, her hair pulled into

Ethan knew he should stop. He knew he should turn away, shut his door, and drown himself in the distractions of his books, his sketches—anything but this. But he didn’t. It started with a sound—low murmurs, a breathy laugh—drifting through the paper-thin walls. He recognized her voice instantly, but it was different tonight. It wasn’t the teasing, confident tone she usually used with him. It was softer, sultrier. His heart pounded as he stood frozen by his door, staring at the thin line of golden light spilling from Sienna’s slightly open doorway. He shouldn’t look. Don’t look, Ethan. But something about the way the door wasn’t completely shut, the way the soft sounds of movement filtered through, made it impossible for him to move away. He took a step closer. His pulse hammered in his ears as he peered through the narrow gap. Th